Jennie Lakes Wilderness
Three rugged and rocky mountain peaks, including the 10,365-foot Mitchell Peak, stand above a diverse mixture of seasonal ponds, perennial streams, lush meadows, and coniferous forests. In Jennie Lakes Wilderness, there are two main lakes, Jennie Ellis Lake and Weaver Lake, which mingle among many granite outcrops. Most of the Wilderness is above 7,000 feet where red fir, lodgepole pine, and western white pine forest grow up near treeline while an abundance of spring wildflowers fill the meadows. Five major trails cross the Wilderness for a total of 26 miles and receive moderate to heavy visitor traffic. Two of the trails offer loop hikes passing the two main lakes for a distance of about 20 miles.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 10,510 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 36.70° N, 118.77° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 17) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 28 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
16 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 backpacking. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- under 1 miJennie Lakes Wilderness ↗Backpacking
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
10 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 29 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Weaver Lake ↗ | 6.8 | |
| Jennie Lake ↗ | 5.9 | |
| Rowell Meadow | 3.8 | |
| Stony Creek | 3.7 | |
| Jo Pass | 2.5 | |
| Marvin Pass | 2.1 | |
| Seville Lakes | 1.6 | |
| Kanawyer Gap | 1.2 | |
| Mitchell Peak | 1.2 | |
| Weaver Lake Cutoff | 0.2 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedGrant Grove Fall Rx
12 mi from the center point · 466 acres
- PrescribedRx White Deer
23 mi from the center point · 35 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 1.3 miCabin Creek Ranger Residence and Dormitory ↗Wilsonia, CA
- 4.6 miGenerals' Highway Stone Bridges ↗Mineral King, CA
- 5.6 miKnapp Cabin ↗Cedar Grove, CA
- 6 miPear Lake Ski Hut ↗Mineral King, CA
- 7.1 miCattle Cabin ↗Three Rivers, CA
- 7.3 miBarton-Lackey Cabin ↗Mineral King, CA
- 7.5 miGiant Forest Village-Camp Kaweah Historic District ↗Three Rivers, CA
- 7.6 miGiant Forest Lodge Historic District ↗Three River, CA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for California
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Jennie Lakes Wilderness?
10,510 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Jennie Lakes Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Jennie Lakes Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Jennie Lakes Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Jennie Lakes Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Jennie Lakes Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 36.698° N, 118.774° W. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks is 7 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Jennie Lakes Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Grant Grove Fall Rx at 12 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Jennie Lakes Wilderness?
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (7 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Jennie Lakes Wilderness?
The National Register has 15 listings within 15 miles, including Cabin Creek Ranger Residence and Dormitory and Generals' Highway Stone Bridges.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.